Brett Anderson interview mentions The Smiths (Idler magazine)

Tom Hodgkinson: So who would you say were your top bands of the 1980s?

Brett Anderson: Well, The Smiths obviously, I know you don’t need anyone else blathering on about The Smiths, but they were very influential. They were our role models in lots of ways, in the way we went about writing and their attitude. Their non-conformist attitude, but also their pop sensibility. They were not avant-garde.

TH: We all had Smiths posters as students.

BA: Did we, though? I’m not sure – I mean, I totally did – I was a Smiths fan at university in 1985 and I remember feeling like an oddball. The hall of residence I was in wasn’t decked with “Boy with the Thorn in his Side” posters. Me and my mate were the only guys that liked The Smiths. They’re one of those bands that have become bigger since they split up. Part of the beauty of The Smiths was that it didn’t feel mainstream. It felt like one’s own little club, like their brilliant B-sides were a gift in exchange for your loyalty. A kind of “Thank you for being part of our little gang”. That’s something that I really wanted to do with Suede. Especially in the early days, B-sides were very important to us. It was about creating a little cult, a group that people can identify with and want to be part of. I always wanted to polarise people’s opinion, to be hated and loved in equal measures. I never just wanted to be quite liked. There was something rather dull about being quite liked.

It's true what Brett said about their b-sides, they were often better than album tracks (To the Birds, My Insatiable One, Killing of a Flashboy, This Time, to name but a few), especially for the first 3 albums. I didn't think so as much for Head Music - but I also think by then creatively the tank was running low and drugs were taking a toll on Brett, etc.

It's true what Brett said about their b-sides, they were often better than album tracks (To the Birds, My Insatiable One, Killing of a Flashboy, This Time, to name but a few), especially for the first 3 albums. I didn't think so as much for Head Music - but I also think by then creatively the tank was running low and drugs were taking a toll on Brett, etc.

Click to expand...

Agreed, I remember playing Another No One everyday for a month straight, I loved that song.

Suede, Dog Man Star and Coming Up piss all over most of Morrissey's solo output. Hands down.
And the b sides until the Coming Up era as well.
Compare all of that with dirge a la Kill Uncle or Maladjusted, or most of Viva Hate.

It's true what Brett said about their b-sides, they were often better than album tracks (To the Birds, My Insatiable One, Killing of a Flashboy, This Time, to name but a few), especially for the first 3 albums. I didn't think so as much for Head Music - but I also think by then creatively the tank was running low and drugs were taking a toll on Brett, etc.

Click to expand...

Agreed. There were still some flashes of brilliance on select Head Music B-sides, but the rot had set in because of his excesses. It also didn't help that the multi-format singles that were so in vogue at the time demanded such a copious amount of material. They were churning out 5-8 additional tracks per single so there are a fair amount of "that'll do" Suede B-sides from 1997-2002.

I reckon ya'll shouldn't the name of that magazine be "Hitler"? Did they spell it wrong? I reckon if you put a little mustache on that foreigner dude, he looks just like Hitler inn nnn nnn nn nnn n n n n din't in n n m8.

I reckon ya'll shouldn't the name of that magazine be "Hitler"? Did they spell it wrong? I reckon if you put a little mustache on that foreigner dude, he looks just like Hitler inn nnn nnn nn nnn n n n n din't in n n m8.

Agreed. There were still some flashes of brilliance on select Head Music B-sides, but the rot had set in because of his excesses. It also didn't help that the multi-format singles that were so in vogue at the time demanded such a copious amount of material. They were churning out 5-8 additional tracks per single so there are a fair amount of "that'll do" Suede B-sides from 1997-2002.

Suede, Dog Man Star and Coming Up piss all over most of Morrissey's solo output. Hands down.
And the b sides until the Coming Up era as well.
Compare all of that with dirge a la Kill Uncle or Maladjusted, or most of Viva Hate.

Click to expand...

Again, a complete exaggeration. You are allowed to like both. I love Suede and I love Morrissey. No need to compare. And to talk about Mom albums being dirge and then talk about Dog Man Star is pretty ironic. I love Suede but that album is dirge at its dirgiest.

Choose what you consider to be Morrisseys worst album and it's still ten times better than anything Suede ever did.

Click to expand...

Total 100% bollocks and possibly the most stupid and patently inaccurate comment ever posted to Moz Solo.
Suede have some great albums that are equal to or surpass most Moz albums, although comparisons are pointless: Suede, Dog Man Star, Coming Up, Bloodsports, Night Thoughts, The Blue Hour. Not to mention their amazing b sides.
Brett is able to conduct an intelligible and intelligent interview and still writes good lyrics, which is more than most people can do.

I reckon ya'll shouldn't the name of that magazine be "Hitler"? Did they spell it wrong? I reckon if you put a little mustache on that foreigner dude, he looks just like Hitler inn nnn nnn nn nnn n n n n din't in n n m8.

Click to expand...

Another epileptic seizure while typing? Don't drive your car near a cliff.